Upstream Precursors to High-Resolution Modeled Extreme Precipitation Events in the Mountainous Regions of Southern California

Abstract

Abstract The enhancement of precipitation over the mountain regions of Southern California, in conjunction with mesoscale and synoptic-scale forcings, can result in high-intensity, short-duration extreme precipitation events (EPEs) that are often associated with hazardous impacts. In this study, candidate upstream atmospheric precursors at relevant spatiotemporal scales to such hazards are explored using a WRF mesoscale model with 5-km grid spacing and an hourly temporal resolution. This high-resolution model, once validated against observations, is used to discern statistically significant physics-based signals between hypothetical mesoscale forcings and the modeled precipitation response. Specifically, the role of upstream instability in modeled EPEs is indexed by convective available potential energy (CAPE) and is examined for two mountainous regions of Southern California at several lag times. A Monte Carlo approach reveals statistically significant differences between the relationship of CAPE associated with EPEs in comparison to the analogous relationship for any precipitation event. These findings hold even with accounting for the well-established role of favorably oriented low-level moisture flux in orographic precipitation. This could indicate that atmospheric instability plays a role in providing additional lifting mechanisms, in conjunction with orographic and synoptic-scale forcings, to facilitate the high short-duration precipitation intensities that have been observed in the region. This diagnostic exploratory study provides additional candidate indicators of predictability of such EPEs at higher spatiotemporal scales than previous work, based on mesoscale model physics. Further analysis should examine the identified precursors using observational data with adequate resolution.